Currently some wireless services offer message waiting and similar services where various types of messages can be stored in a subscriber mailbox of a voice mail system and then delivered through a wireless communication network such as a cellular telephone network after a call is specifically made to a voice mail system to retrieve the messages. In prior systems, the number of stored messages can be determined by looking on the display of a phone that has been powered-on, and viewing the number of messages that are waiting in the voice mail system. However, knowing only the number of messages stored in a voice mailbox is not efficient for active users and subscribers who need up-to-date information for business, education and other purposes.
In copending application Ser. No. 08/838,613 identified above, a wireless communication network, such as the cellular telephone network, can forward a voice mail message notification (or message waiting indicator) to a subscriber of a voice mail system indicating that the subscriber has one or more voice mail messages waiting in the subscriber mailbox. In the present invention, the voice mail system can generate a voice mail notification that includes the calling number of the party that left the voice mail message, if known, the name of the caller, and an index listing the various calls so that a subscriber can scroll through the calls and choose a desired call. This caller identity information can be forwarded as a packet of information to a cellular network.
A messaging center in the cellular network receives the voice mail notification, which includes calling number ID, potentially the caller name (if available) and the index of the voice mail. The messaging center then forwards the notification to a (MSC) mobile switching center, which in turn forwards the voice mail notification to a base station. The information is then forwarded to a cellular phone operated by a subscriber. Typically, the subscriber can register the cellular phone with the cellular phone network before a voice mail notification is sent. Also, the message center can include the home location register to determine the location of the subscriber who is to receive the voice mail notification. The home location register can maintain a record of the location of any subscriber as long as the subscriber has a cellular phone or other similar wireless device that is registered with the system.
The cellular phone typically will have a storage device and display for storing and displaying a plurality of voice mail notifications. The display can show the calling party number, and if known, the calling party name after it receives the voice mail notification, as well as an index which includes an appended number corresponding to the voice mail. The cellular phone preferably stores within the phone an index of all voice mail messages stored in the subscriber mailbox based on the voice mail notification it receives. The display then can be scrolled to indicate the various identities of the stored messages. The cellular phone used by a subscriber can be an IS 136 phone. The subscriber can retrieve a specific message by highlighting a specific message and then pressing a send button positioned on the phone. The mobile switching center then forwards the particular voice mail message to the subscriber. The mobile network then facilitates the message retrieval to the subscriber device.
Private base stations, however, are becoming more popular, especially with the excessive band use of cellular frequencies.